--- loncom/interface/groupboards.pm	2012/07/21 21:20:06	1.15
+++ loncom/interface/groupboards.pm	2012/11/11 17:33:18	1.16
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network
 # Group Bulletin Boards Manager
 #
-# $Id: groupboards.pm,v 1.15 2012/07/21 21:20:06 raeburn Exp $
+# $Id: groupboards.pm,v 1.16 2012/11/11 17:33:18 raeburn Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ sub handler {
         if (($can_create) || (&Apache::lonnet::allowed('mdg',$env{'request.course.id'}))) {
             $r->print(&boards_header($cdom,$cnum,$group,$description,$gpterm,
                                      $ucgpterm,$bodytitle,$refarg));
-            my ($outcome,$newurl,$bbtitle,$dellockoutcome) = 
+            my ($outcome,$newurl,$bbtitle,$lockfreed) = 
 		&create_board($cdom,$cnum,$group,$env{'form.newbul'});
             if ($outcome eq 'ok') {
                 my ($furl,$ferr)= &Apache::lonuserstate::readmap($cdom.'/'.$cnum);
@@ -117,8 +117,10 @@ sub handler {
                           '<a href="/adm/groupboards?group='.$group.'&amp;'.
                           $refarg.'">'.&mt('View all group discussion boards').
                           '</a></td></tr></table>');
-                if ($dellockoutcome ne 'ok') {
-                    $r->print(&mt('There was a problem removing a lockfile for the group ([_1]). This may prevent creation of additional bulletin boards in this group.  Please contact the system administrator for your LON-CAPA domain.'));
+                if ($lockfreed ne 'ok') {
+                    $r->print(&mt('There was a problem removing a lockfile for the group ([_1]).',$description).'<br />'.
+                              &mt('This may prevent creation of additional bulletin boards in this group.').'<br />'.
+                              &mt('Please contact the domain coordinator for your LON-CAPA domain.'));
                 }
             } else {
                 $r->print(&mt('There was a problem creating the new discussion board - [_1]','<span class="LC_error">'.$outcome.'</span>').'<br /><a href="/adm/groupboards?group='.$group.'">'.
@@ -191,56 +193,18 @@ function makebulboard() {
 
 sub create_board {
     my ($cdom,$cnum,$group,$bbtitle) = @_;
-    my ($outcome,$boardid,$newurl);
+    my ($outcome,$newurl,$idtype);
     $bbtitle=&unescape($bbtitle);
-    # get lock on nohist_groupboards file
-    my $lockhash = {
-                  $group."\0".'locked_boardids' => $env{'user.name'}.
-                                                       ':'.$env{'user.domain'},
-                   };
-    my $tries = 0;
-    my $gotlock = &Apache::lonnet::newput('nohist_groupboards',$lockhash,$cdom,$cnum);
-    my $dellockoutcome;
-    while (($gotlock ne 'ok') && $tries <3) {
-        $tries ++;
-        sleep 1;
-        $gotlock = &Apache::lonnet::newput('nohist_groupboards',$lockhash,$cdom,$cnum);
-    }
-    if ($gotlock eq 'ok') {
-       my %curr_boards = &Apache::lonnet::dump('nohist_groupboards',$cdom,$cnum,$group);
-       $boardid = time;
-       my $idtries = 0;
-       while(exists($curr_boards{$group."\0".$boardid}) && $idtries < 20) {
-           $boardid ++;
-           $idtries ++;
-       }
-       if (!exists($curr_boards{$group."\0".$boardid})) {
-           my %new_board = (
-                          $group."\0".$boardid => $env{'user.name'}.':'.
-                                                  $env{'user.domain'},
-           );
-           my $putresult = &Apache::lonnet::put('nohist_groupboards',\%new_board,
-                                                $cdom,$cnum);
-           if ($putresult ne 'ok') {
-               $outcome = 'error saving new board: '.$putresult;
-           } else {
-               $newurl = '/adm/'.$cdom.'/'.$cnum.'/'.$boardid.
-                         '/bulletinboard';
-           }
-       } else {
-            $outcome = ('error: no unique ID for the new board available.');
-       }
-       #  remove lock
-       my @del_lock = ($group."\0".'locked_boardids');
-       $dellockoutcome = &Apache::lonnet::del('nohist_groupboards',\@del_lock,$cdom,$cnum);
+    $idtype = 'inc';
+    my ($boardid,$dellock,$error) = 
+        &Apache::lonnet::get_timebased_id($group,'boardids','groupboards',
+                                          $cdom,$cnum);
+    if ($boardid) {
+         $newurl = '/adm/'.$cdom.'/'.$cnum.'/'.$boardid.'/bulletinboard';
     } else {
-        $outcome = "error: could not obtain lockfile\n";
-        $dellockoutcome = 'ok';
+         return ($error,$newurl,$bbtitle,$dellock);
     }
-    if (!$newurl) {
-        return ($outcome,$newurl,$bbtitle,$dellockoutcome);
-    }
-    $newurl=&unescape($newurl);
+
     # need to check here if group_boards_$group.sequence is in the course
     # if not - add it as an item in group_folder_$group.sequence 
     my $allbbsmap = &Apache::longroup::get_bbfolder_url($cdom,$cnum,$group);
@@ -268,7 +232,7 @@ sub create_board {
         $outcome = 'error: discussion boards folder absent, '.
                    'or in unexpected location - '.$allbbsmap."\n";
     }
-    return ($outcome,$newurl,$bbtitle,$dellockoutcome);
+    return ($outcome,$newurl,$bbtitle,$dellock);
 }
 
 sub display_error {